New Delhi, Nov. 13 -- Some Christian bodies on Thursday vehemently opposed the proposed amendments to the foreign donation laws before a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), arguing that the bill can destroy the religious independence of the minority communities. Apostles Methodist Church, National Council of Churches in India, Evangelical Church of India and Jesus Redeems appeared before the JPC led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Sanjay Jaiswal on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill. The bodies also said the proposed law can lead to halting services rendered to marginalised sections of the society. The bodies also opposed the creation of a designated authority under the new Bill that can take control of foreign contributions and assets when an organisation's FCRA registration ceases, is cancelled or surrendered. At least two bodies, according to functionaries aware of the details, also objected to the clause of the Bill that says even assets created partially out of foreign donations can be vested or transferred to appropriate ministries of the government. According to two functionaries, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey argued that in Kerala, a law was passed in 2023 - The Kerala Forest (Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile Lands) Act - and had taken over private land for ecological conservation under specific forest-protection laws. Dubey argued that many temples and churches were vested under the law and wondered why these church bodies didn't raise a hue and cry over it. In the meeting, RSS-linked organisations hailed the proposed legislation terming it as a right step towards regulating foreign funding. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25 and referred to JPC on August 12....